


Phoenix Slayer

by artemis822



Category: Angel: the Series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Charmed
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Crossover, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Gen, Multiple Crossovers, Series
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-18
Updated: 2015-07-10
Packaged: 2018-02-17 20:29:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 10,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2322188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/artemis822/pseuds/artemis822
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Worlds collide as one woman decides to change the course of history, not only in her world but in others too......</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Once upon a time

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: If I owned this stuff, there would have been so many changes, that the show would have died long ago and there'd be no fanfic, because I suck at plots
> 
> Spoilers: Anything and everything.
> 
> Author's note: this will eventually become a crossover in later chapters, so be patient. And this is also my first fanfic so please be nice. B/A all the way!
> 
> To clarify, this is the first fanfic that I started writing that I published, and I started it as a teenager, and I haven't gone back an edited any of it carrying it over from my other fanfic accounts. And my adolescents shows. 
> 
> Bear with me, it'll get better. I hope.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: If I owned this stuff, there would have been so many changes, that the show would have died long ago and there'd be no fanfic, because I suck at plots
> 
> Spoilers: Anything and everything.
> 
> Author's note: this will eventually become a crossover in later chapters, so be patient. And this is also my first fanfic so please be nice. B/A all the way!

Chapter 1: Once upon a time

Joyce Summers strolled to the door, putting her earrings on. It was her and Hank's first night out together since their daughter, Buffy had been born. She opened the door and welcomed the baby-sitter in to the Summers' Los Angeles home.

"Hi, you must be Shana. Come on in."

'Foolish woman,' Shana thought. 'For all she knew, I could have been a vampire.' "Hi, Mrs. Summers. I'd like to thank you for this chance." 'A chance that most fanfic writers would kill for, some literally.'

"You said that you were studying psychology? Am I right?"

"Yes. At UCLA." 'Liar, liar pants on fire!' 'Not completely. I did study psychology...fifteen years ago.' Shana was glad that her glamour was working, giving her the illusion of being a twenty-something year old instead of her true age.

A small figure thumped down the stairs in her jammies, clutching a stuffed pig, her blonde hair in pigtails. She stopped on the bottom step and looked at the baby-sitter with suspicion.

Shana Michaels lowered herself down to the would-be Slayer's eye level. "Hi, I'm Shana. You must be Buffy."

"Uh-huh," the 5-year old agreed hesitantly with all the eloquence of some one her age.

"And who is this handsome fella?" Shana asked, pointing at the pig.

"His name's Mr. Gordo?" Buffy answered proudly.

"How do you do, Mr. Gordo?" Shana said, shaking the stuffed pig's paw.

Buffy grinned, instantly liking the baby-sitter. She took Shana's hand and started pulling her up the stairs.

Joyce smiled, handing Shana the emergency numbers and called out to her husband that she was ready to go.

Buffy led Shana into her room. Shana sat on the little girl's bed and looked around. 'Well, she hasn't gone through her Hamill stage yet,' she thought. She pondered the future Chosen One's life ten year from now. 'Her Calling, her first Watcher, her first Big Bad, the divorce, the move, Sunnydale and all it would mean for the next 7 years.' She smiled sadly.

Buffy climbed up on her bed and sat next to the woman, looking at her with bright eyes. "How come you look sad?"

"I'm just thinking about the future," Shana said vaguely.

"Well, when I'm sad, I talk to Mr. Gordo," Buffy offered.

Shana had to smile. 'Such innocence, she has no idea of what's to come.' "Well, Mr. Gordo, what does the future hold for our young friend here," Shana said, speaking to the pig, pointing to Buffy.

Buffy held the pig's head to her as if it were whispering to her. "He says fun, and that I'll be a super-hero," Buffy stated matter-of-factly.

"Does he?" Shana responded, awed by how close close to the truth the small girl was. "So do you like any boys?" Shana asked, changing the subject. 'We can get into that much later.'

"No!" the Slayer-to-be squealed, giving a 'yuck' face to emphasize her point. "Boys are evil!"

Shana laughed, thinking about the 'evil' boy boy that would one day capture the Slayer's heart. "Fine, we'll stay off that topic for a while. So what do you want to do?"

"Tell me a story."

"Ok." Shana had sensed the small girl's tired movements, and her reluctance admit her sleepiness. "Okay, then get under the covers." Buffy quickly crawled up the bed, taking Mr. Gordo with her. She raised the covers and plopped on the other side, wriggling and squirming as only a small child that was excited can.

Shana removed her sneakers and socks and laid next to the small child. "Do you want me to read you a story or make one up?"

"Make one up!"

"'Kay. Let's see, how shall we start it?"

"Once upon a time," Buffy offered.

"Alright."

Buffy scooted over so she could lay her head on Shana's shoulder. Shana put her arm around Buffy in a hug, wishing she could protect the future Slayer from the truth within the "story" she was about to tell her.

"Once upon a time, there was a beautiful girl who lived a normal life. She-"

"Was she a princess? Most stories have princesses in them," Buffy interjected.

"No, she wasn't a princess. She was more important and more powerful than that, but she didn't know it yet. Anyways, she lived a normal life, but that was about to change."

"How?"

"I'm getting to that. Be patient."

"Well, hurry up."

"Fine. The girl was approached by a man one day. He told her of her calling to fight evil, that she had been chosen by fate to kick major bad guy patoot." Shana closed her eyes, and watched in her mind's eye, she saw the day Buffy was called. She watched Angel looking on from his shadowed vantage point and his instant love for the Slayer. "She protested that it was impossible for her to have a destiny, but she was proved wrong, when in a battle for her life, she destroyed her adversary."

"Please stop using big words that I don't know. They make my head hurt."

"Sorry. Anyway, from that point on, she trained, honing her body into weapon, with reflexes better than Catwoman, because she had been a cheerleader for so many years. But she wasn't ready, for when she fought her first major bad guy, she could only look on helplessly as he killed the man who trained her. In the final fight against the monster, cause that's what he was, she killed him and his flunkies by burning down the school gym."

She looked down at the little girl beside her and found her asleep. Shana sighed and smiled. She kissed the future Slayer on the top of her head and slid off the bed, making sure she didn't wake her up, tucking her in and shutting off the light, placing Mr. Gordo in reach in case Buffy had a nightmare. Shana snuck downstairs and waited for the 'rents to return.


	2. Growing Up Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shana's established in Buffy's life, that's about to change....

Chapter 2: Growing Up Again

Over almost the next decade, Shana continued babysitting the fated Chosen One, moving to friend and mentor when Buffy reached her teen-aged years and had started complaining that she didn't need a babysitter.

Shana trained and readied Buffy as subtly as possible, encouraging her cheer-leading and nourishing her imagination. Shana had continued telling Buffy of her life to come, albeit vaguely, in the guise of bedtime stories, which she still asked for, even into her teens. A couple months after Buffy's 14th birthday, Shana made a decision.

"I have to go to New York," Shana told Buffy one day, as they sat on some swings from the local playground.

Buffy looked at the woman next to her, who she had come to think of as her older sister. "When will you be back?"

Shana hesitated. "That's just it Buff; I don't know if I am coming back." 'Not here, anyways.'

"Why?" Buffy softly pleaded, struggling to understand why her best friend was leaving her.

'Because I have to make sure your first love is called into action," Shana thought sardonically. "Because, well, you know how I told you I was a consultant for the FBI."

Buffy barely nodded.

"Well, they need my help to catch a bad guy, a really bad guy who's hurting people, especially little kids and I have to stop it."

"But don't they have those psycho-whatever people? Why do you have to go?" Buffy left the swing, tears streaming down her cheeks. She started pounding the pavement; taking a route that would bring her home.

The front door banged open and Buffy pounded up the stairs to her room, her blonde hair moving behind her like an angry storm. She threw herself on her bed and buried her head in her pillow.

Shana came into her room a minute later. She sat on the edge of the bed, putting her hand on the girl's hair, but Buffy jerked away.

"Buffy, I'm not going away forever. I'll be back."

Buffy turned her head towards Shana. "Promise?" she said hesitantly.

"I promise. I just meant, when I said I was leaving, that I would be gone for several moths, maybe over a year."

"Swear," Buffy said, turning on her side and sitting up.

"Cross my heart, hope to die," Shana began.

"Stick a stake in my eye," Buffy finished. She had questioned Shana about her altered version, but Shana had just smiled enigmatically.

They joined their right pinkies together, let go, and then hugged.

"Do Mom and Dad know?"

"Not yet, I wanted to tell you first."

"Thanks."

"So are there any boys that you like?"

Buffy smiled, wiping away the last of her tears. "Well there's this one boy..."


	3. Leaving Destiny

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a short one.
> 
> They do get longer.

Chapter 3: Leaving Destiny

Shana had explained to Buffy that the FBI had given her a month to get to New York City.

So on the day Shana was to leave, the Summers accompanied her to the airport. Hank and Joyce waited outside the doors to give Buffy and Shana time together.

Shana hugged Buffy one last time. She pulled out a thick brown envelope and handed it to the soon-to-be Chosen One. "When you know who you are and you've accepted who you are, open it and read."

"What do you mean? I know who I am!"

"Buffy, everyone has a destiny. Yours just hasn't been revealed to you yet. When it is and when you've accepted it read what I wrote. Okay?"

"'Kay."

"Buffy, you are going to be a very important person some day to a lot of people and to that special some one. You're in for a tough life, but you'll have friends to help you out. Don't give them up without a fight. Never forget this saying: 'Your friends will help you move, your best friends will help you move bodies.'"

Buffy looked at her strangely,

"Trust me, Buff. You'll know the truth of it in a few years. And remember what I said. 'Don't-'"

"Don't talk about you with anyone outside the family, and to gradually stop talking about you with the family. Then maybe I'll forget. But I'll never forget."

A sudden image popped into Shana's mind. Buffy was clinging to Angel desperately, crying and whispering, "I'll never forget, I'll never forget, I'll never forget." 'I will Remember You,' Shana thought.

"I know you won't. Now, keep up your cheerleading, it'll help you in the long run, trust me. Keep your imagination alive. Trust your instincts, follow your heart, though sometimes it's better to listen to your head for the greater good. Use your emotions as tools. They're total assets."

Shana's flight was announced. "I think that's everything." Shana hugged Buffy again. "I love you, you know that right?"

Buffy nodded. "I love you too. You're like the big sister I never had."

"And you're like the little sister I'm never going to get." They let go and Shana dragged her luggage behind her. She only looked back once, then not again.

When she was on the plane, she looked out her window. She saw Buffy by the big glass window and waved.

Buffy waved back and kept waving until the plane took off. She went to find her parents, silently crying.


	4. Happiness Guarenteed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Extremely short chapter. Not sure why, but wanted to separate things out. Forgive the newbie writing.

Chapter 4: Happiness Guaranteed

Shana had settled into her apartment, setting up an altar for magick. She placed pictures of her and Buffy everywhere.

She was going to give Buffy a happier life. She wouldn't stop her being Called. That was completely and totally out of her hands. No, she was going to change something that would make a bigger difference in the life of the Slayer: Angel.

Shana performed a locating spell to find the broody vamp. She knew it would be at least a year before he was approached by Whistler. In that time she would watch him, making sure he kept feeding off of rats. 'Yuck,' she thought. 'I bet there isn't a lot of fiber in rodents.

The only problem with Angel was his soul, well the clause. Shana didn't want Buffy to have to do what she will do, send her lover to Hell. So Shana devised a plan: she would go back in time, approach the Romany while they were thinking up Angelus' punishment and have them modify the curse. 'That way his soul can only be released by magick, powerful magick.' Whistler had said that Angel was supposed to stop Acathla, not "bring him forth." Shana would make sure he did just that.


	5. Livin La Vida Gypsy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter. Double update because the last one was so short. I'm bad about going back an editing my writing, even if I think I should later on.
> 
> As always, let me know what you think. I welcome all comments, good or bad.

Chapter 5: Livin La Vida Gypsy

Shana landed with a thud in Romania in 1898. She cursed Joss Whedon for not giving a specific time frame, like a month. She was going to have to hang around until the Gypsy girl died and try to be on the council that decided Angelus' fate. She just hoped that she wasn't too late.

Shana only had to wait a few weeks for Angelus to strike. It was she who made the suggestion of restoring his soul. She was brought before the elders and questioned.

"How did you come to make up such a punishment for this demon?"

"'When you become a vampire, the demon takes your body but doesn't get your soul.' Giving him his soul back will make him feel remorse about his crimes against humanity till the end of his days." Shana had quoted Angel partially in the beginning.

"Who has told you this?" one of them questioned.

"I have on good authority." She said matter-of-factly.

"Vampire!" on of them cried. They pulled out a cross and shoved in her face.

Shana just looked at it, raised an eyebrow and grabbed the cross and held it for a few seconds, long enough for them to see she wasn't demonic. She then threw the cross into the wall behind the elders as if it were a throwing knife. The elders looked at her with wonder and a little fear. "What are you?"

"This is going to sound insane, but I'm from the future."

They didn't look like they thought she was insane, but then again it could be a trap, or they believed her.

"Why have you come to our time?"

'Huh.' "To ask you to modify the curse. To ask you to get rid of the happiness clause that the curse might have."

"The demon must suffer!"

"And he will, for about a hundred years. I'm not asking you to not curse him, that's why I suggested it. I want the curse to only be able to be lifted by magical means. Or not at all."

"It would be impossible for the demon to know happiness."

"You'd be surprised. Angelus will make a reappearance in about a century, give or take a few years and I'm trying to prevent that from happening. Don't put any clauses in the curse. That's all I ask." There was muttering around the room and Shana plowed on. "Hey, I wouldn't be here if what I'm saying wasn't true. I'd be back in my own time, lounging in bed in America, watching 'X-Files'."

"You are sure the curse will be lifted?"

"Yes, until he is cursed again a few months later."

"We will take your words into consideration."

Shana turned and left, calling over her shoulder, "He'll work for redemption, just make his soul permanent."

She waved her hand making the periodic clothing disappear and become more 1990s stuff. She waved her other hand and she vanished in a haze of heat and magick.


	6. Guardian Angel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's see what Shana's been up to.
> 
> Who's that lurking in the shadows?

Chapter 6: Guardian Angel

For the next year, she watched Angel from the shadows and from the rooftops, a silent guardian, making sure he fed only off rats.

She didn't know if the Gypsies had heeded her words or had written her off as nuts. She hoped so, or Brood Boy would go bye-bye for a while in a few years.

She was walking home one night from work, getting herself ready for the long watch of Angel when someone grabbed her and pulled her into a dark alley, a hand pressed over her mouth, so she wouldn't call out for help. Not that she would.

A voice in her ear demanded, "Who are you and why have you been following me?"

Shana grabbed the arm of the owner of the voice and flipped him over, putting him on the flat of his back. She pressed the heel of her boot to his chest to keep him down. 'It won't be the last time someone does this to you,' Shana thought sardonically.

This version of Angel was less than impressive, smelly, and ragged.

"Why have you been you been following me?"

"That's not important."

"Then what is?"

She said nothing, taking her foot off of him and stepped back. 'Giving Buffy a happier life than she's supposed to get.' "You know, overall, I'm kind of disappointed. I thought…, oh hell, I don't know what I thought but this doesn't cover it. Just goes to show ya…"

"You know who I am?"

"More like what you are. And watch me not quiver with fear. But that's not important."

"So you know that I'm-"

"You know, I thought Angelus was supposed to be some kind of evil genius, but I guess feeding off of rats makes you kind of slow, huh? Just so you know, the hair isn't really all that, maybe you should cut it, and get a new wardrobe, 'cause it's deader than you."

"For the last time, why have you been following me?" Angel grabbed Shana by the throat and pushed her against the wall. She grabbed his hand and struggling, pulled it away from her throat. She eased away from the wall and stood a couple feet out of his reach. Angel looked at her in wonderment. "What are you, the Slayer?" he asked, putting on his game face and readied himself for an attack.

Shana stood there, arms crossed, rolling her eyes. "First, no, I'm not a Slayer, but something close enough that I could kick you ass if it was needed. Second, what I am is slightly beyond me. Third, I've been following you to keep you from feeding off of humans. Fourth, your people skills suck, pun intended." She turned and started walking out of the alley.

"Who are you?" he called after her.

"Let's just say, I'm a friend."

"Yeah, well maybe I don't want any friends."

Shana grinned and finished quoting him. "I never said I was yours." She turned the corner. Angel followed her out of the alley and looked around for her, but she had disappeared.


	7. Whistler While You Work

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I think it's time to add some balance to the equation...

 

Chapter 7: Whistler While You Work

 

Shana continued following Angel but from further away, in darker shadows, in more hidden crevices. She saw that him knowing that she would stop him helped Angel resist feeding off of people.

Shana was sure that Buffy would be Called soon, so Angel will be approached a few days prior at least.

She started to plan her return into Buffy's life, after the Slayer has moved to Sunnydale.

She leaped from one building to another, silently landing on each, a shadow in search of her query, moving until she found him, and it looked like he had some company.

"It's about damn time," she muttered.

Some of Buffy's fashion sense had rubbed off on Shana, and she shook her head at Whistler's outfit. "I'm so glad Angel doesn't want to dress like him," she commented. She stepped off the building, letting gravity do the rest. The only sound she made was a 'whoosh' as she fell. She landed silently and walked off into the night, in a fashion Angel himself would take on. She left the broody vampire with a soul in the balance demon's hands, knowing what was to come.

 


	8. Flunked The Written

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Double update because chapter 7 is so short.
> 
> Meanwhile, in Los Angeles...

 

Chapter 8: Flunked The Written

 

Buffy sat in her room, listening to her parents bicker as they were want to do these days. They had decided to get a divorce, yet they still argued. She had been forced to burn down the gym at Hemery in her duty as the Slayer. Her mom had gotten custody of her and they were moving to some nowhere town that no one has ever heard of. 'What was it?' she thought. 'Oh yeah, Sunnydale.'

She made a decision. She quit. She wouldn't be the Slayer anymore. It had ruined her life, taken away her friends, caused her to be expelled, and destroyed her family. She couldn't tell her friends or her parents about being the Slayer. They'd think she was nuts. She wished Shana were here, Shana would have understood, she could feel it.

Shana! She had forgotten the woman had given her an envelope. She hadn't thought of Shana on a long time. She ransacked the closet, looking for it. The closet was still full; she hadn't packed anything away yet for the move at the end of the summer.

It took 10 minutes to find it in the back corner of the closet. She brought it back to her bed and ripped off the top of the envelope. What she read shocked her.

_Dear Buffy,_

_By now you've been called as the Slayer. I don't know whether to cry or say congrats. If you read this prematurely, Oops! Shame on you! (Shakes finger at you.) Buffy, don't give up on being the Slayer. You're going to be great, as Slayers go. As a person, you'll be extraordinary. In time you'll find your true friends, and you will find true love, I promise. Your life may feel like it's falling apart at the seams but it will get better. Never forget who you are, the day you do is the day you've lost. You are the Chosen one, but you're still Buffy. Stay strong, baby girl. You're in for a tough life, but you'll make it. Remember, "It'll be alright in the end. If it isn't alright, then it isn't the end." I'll be seeing you in a while, once you get settled into your new life. Don't let stuffy British men push you around. Mysterious guys can be annoying, especially the cryptic ones, but give them a shot. Computer nerds make excellent friends. And dark-haired goofballs are good to have around. That's everything, I think. Oh and: Hell hath no fury like a pissed off Slayer. You can't run from destiny, it'll find you every time._

_Love you lots Buff,_

_Shana_

_P.S. You're one kick ass young lady, stay that way!_

Buffy finished reading, stunned. She'd known. Shana had known she would become the Slayer and she hadn't warned her. She almost felt a sense of betrayal. Almost. She couldn't keep being the Slayer, despite what Shana had written. It was too dangerous. Shana had said she couldn't run from destiny. "Watch me."

 


	9. Returning Destiny

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Buffy gets a blast from the past...

Chapter 9: Returning Destiny

 

Buffy sat at the table in the library of Sunnydale High, enjoying the peace and quiet that she knew wouldn't last.

Buffy had found out some things about the nowhere town she had thought Sunnydale to be. It was on a Hellmouth, she had a Watcher assigned to come here, and she had friends. Real friends that knew she was the Slayer and wanted to hang out with her. They were willing to put their livers on the line to help her save the world.

Xander and Willow entered the library, talking animatedly, smiling. Two days prior they had kept the witch Catherine Madison from achieving her goal: being on the cheerleading squad. Not that sinister, but she had used witchcraft to switch bodies with her daughter and injure cheerleaders and potential cheerleaders, including the Slayer. Her Watcher, Giles, had managed to reverse the spell that "Catherine the Great" had put on Buffy just in time for the Slayer to defeat the power-hungry, cheer-happy sorceress. Buffy had decided to enjoy the time of test before the next disaster.

"So Buffy, how are you, cuz, you, you had the whole blood vengeance spell thing happen, and you weren't looking healthy and I'll be quiet now," Willow rambled.

Buffy smiled. Shy Willow Rosenburg had been apprehensive that Buffy would be just like the vapid Cordelia Chase, but had jumped on the hero bandwagon and faced off with witches and bloodthirsty vampires. Buffy had lost most of her vanity the day she had been called as the Slayer.

"I'm good. I'm looking less like a sheet and more of a person. For future references, vengeance spells are no picnic. I'm hoping to be spell-free for a long time."

Rupert Giles chose that moment to leave his office, carrying an open book in one hand and sipping a hot cup of tea. He laid the book down and sat next to Xander.

"So, G-man, what devil spawn are we going to rumble with today?" Xander asked in his usual way of brashness.

Giles replied in his own manner that he reserved for the teenager. "I must insist that you not call me that. As to what we are going to encounter, is not yet known, so we will have to wait for it to present itself."

"Then I guess this is a bad time to visit, huh?" A voice from the doorway inquired, causing the Scoobies to turn around. A woman stood next to the counter, in a vision of black. Her mixed skin tone told of her split heritage of Caucasian and African-American: Cloaked in a black leather trench coat, black leather pants and black leather boots. The only non-leather apparel she wore was the black V-neck short sleeve shirt. Her black curly hair looked like a mane that would have made Shirley Temple jealous.

Giles stood, confusion plain on his face, breaking through his usual stoic visage. "Erm, excuse me, but who are you?"

Buffy looked at the woman, recognition dawning on the girl's face, shaking her head in disbelief. 'It' couldn't be.'

The woman smiled broadly, raising an eyebrow, saying nothing.

Buffy got up out of her seat and slowly started approaching the woman. "Shana?" she whispered, afraid to believe.

The woman grinned from ear to ear, and winked.

The Slayer flew, throwing herself at the woman, who welcomed her with open arms, spinning around to take the edge off the impact.

Buffy hugged her tightly and Shana hugged her with the same amount of force.

The Scoobies looked on, wonder etched in their faces.

Buffy let go first, a broad smile on her face while tears streaked her cheeks. She wrapped her arm around Shana's waist and brought her over to where the Scoobies stood.

"Giles, Xander, Willow, this is Shana. She's the closest thing to an older that I've ever had. She was my baby-sitter for 9 years through my teens, when she became my mentor. She left a couple years ago, for New York to help on a case for the FBI." She hugged Shana one more time.

"I come back to LA and find it minus 2 Summers. Look at you, almost grown up and the Slayer, " she said, shocking everyone except Buffy.

"You are aware that Buffy is the Slayer?" Giles stammered. He looked over at the girl, who had moved, retaking her seat.

Buffy held her hands up in protest. "Don't look at me, I never told her. She left before I was Called, a year and a half before, in fact."

Shana leaned against the table with her arms crossed.

"So, how is it you know-" Giles began but shocked him into silence by saying, "I've always known."

Buffy flashed back to the first bedtime story that Shana had ever told her and realized how alike it was to the day she was called as the Slayer, and the time up until her first real battle and the loss of her first Watcher, and when she burned down the gym. "You knew all along, even back then," she said in shock, referring to when Shana had first come into her life.

Shana nodded grimly, waiting for Buffy's reaction, wondering how angry the Slayer would be.

"There was no case, was there?" Buffy whispered.

Shana shook her head.

"Then why did you leave?" she quietly demanded.

"There were things I had to take care of, stuff I had to try to prevent from happening."

"What exactly did you have to prevent?" Giles inquired, breaking his silence.

Shana looked at him and placed her hands on the table and leaned in. "Things that haven't happened yet, things that are going to rip you guys apart, figuratively speaking, and I can't bear to watch that happen."

"Why, because you think we can't handle it? Let us make that decision for ourselves!" Buffy yelled.

"I know you can handle it, it's the end result that bothers me, watching you become a shadow of your former selves. You faced it a first time and came out alive, but just barely. I'm just trying to give you better lives."

"I'm sorry. This is just kind of hitting me hard," Buffy apologized.

"So what exactly have you prevented from occurring?" Giles tried to pry again.

"That's a shady question. First off, I don't know if anything changes. Second of all, certain things have to occur for me to be able to tell you. And they may not happen for awhile. Until then I'll just smile enigmatically to many of the questions that you might ask." She stood up. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to finish unpacking."

Buffy stood up also. "Where are you living?"

"Sunnydale Motel."

Oh no, no friend of mine is staying on that rodent breeding ground. You're staying at my house, Mom would love it."

"Buffy, I don't-"

"No buts. You're coming."

"Buffy, I'm fine where I am."

"I might have a solution," Giles interjected. Everyone looked towards him. "I would be happy to offer my apartment to the service of Ms…"

"Just call me Shana."

"To Shana, if it's alright with you, Buffy."

"Are you sure? Cuz, I don't wanna impose on you."

"No, it's quite alright. I am fascinated as to how you know about Slayers."

"Watcher-man, you're not going to pry that out of me anytime soon, so give it up. Besides, I plan to tell you. Eventually. Just not now. You'll have enough to deal with, trust me."

"Like what?" Willow asked.

"Sorry, can't tell you that." Shana started walking towards the door. "It'll come fast enough all by its lonesome. Are you coming Giles, or do I have fo find your place all by myself," she called over her shoulder.

"Oh. Right then. I shall see you all in the morning." The Brit grabbed his coat and followed the mysterious woman out.

"Well, that was … interesting," Xander said.

 


	10. Suspicious Curiousity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Watcher tries to solve the mystery of Buffy's old friend...

 

Chapter 10: Suspicious Curiosity

 

He didn't trust her. That's all Giles could think about as he led her to his little sanctuary that he called home. She had admitted that she was hiding information from them, but he was positive that the mysterious woman had a treasure trove of secrets that she was keeping to herself.

He pulled in front of his apartment and got out to help Shana unload her luggage. She had 3 trunks, 5 suitcases on wheels and a backpack, which she nearly took his arm off trying to get to before. She only took the pack and 2 suitcases, they rest stayed in the rental.

She waited by the door for him to open it and extend her an invite. She only got the former. She walked in behind him, rolling her eyes. She rolled the suitcases next to the couch and turned, arms crossed.

"Look, Giles, I know that you don't trust me as far as you can throw me. I understand that."

"I never said-" Giles sputtered but Shana interrupted.

"You didn't have to. I get where you're coming from. Mysterious woman shows up with the knowledge of Slayers from the past of the current Slayer. I understand your suspicion, but I'd jump into the Hellmouth before I'd endanger any of you, especially.

And just for the record, I'm not a vampire, demon, shapeshifter, or anything like that. I am however a witch, like Glinda, or Sabrina, or Hermione. Not evil. I am also something else entirely, though that is completely out of my control. Now I'm gonna take the couch, I'll be, I might pop out and disappear for a while but don't worry, I'll be back. Now, where's the bathroom?"

Shana was laying on the couch, listening for any signs that the Watcher would be asleep. She knew she needed to figure a way out to see the Scoobies during the day without sneaking around or getting caught.

She got up silently and changed into more 'ass-kicking attire', as she liked to call it and armed herself to the teeth. Stakes, knives, crosses, holy water, 2 hand guns with the capacity for tranquilizer darts, and a short sword down her spine. 'Like Anita Blake meets Lara Croft,' she thought. She added two crossbows and 20 bolts each to her arsenal. She picked up her backpack and was ready to leave when Giles asked from the stairs, "Where are you going?"

"Out," she replied curtly and headed for the door, cursing herself for not being alert.

"Any place specific in mind?"

"Nah, just thought I'd wander."

"You do realize this is Sunnydale, home of the Hellmouth?"

"Yup."

"And you are aware of the fact that you are not a Slayer?"

"I can handle myself."

"Against a vampire or demon?"

"I've done it before." 'Just ask Angel.' "I'm not helpless, far from it. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to do a little skulking."

"Yes, I do mind, actually."

"Too bad," she threw over her shoulder dismissively, and left the apartment.

* * *

 

Shana had gotten about a mile from the building when she stopped in her tracks.

"Show yourself," she demanded. When nothing happened, she tried again. "I really don't feel like playing games, Angel, so get your undead ass down here before I get mad."

A whoosh came behind her, the only indication of a change. Angel stood behind her not sure of what to make of the woman. "What are you doing here? Sunnydale's a long way from New York. Are you still following me?"

"Who said this was about you?"

"Who sent you to follow me?"

"No one." She started to walk away, but was stopped by his next sentence.

"I mentioned you to Whistler," the vampire called.

Shana turned and faced him. "Really?"

"Yeah. He said he didn't know who you were."

"That's probably because I don't exist."

"Angel stood baffled for a moment, and then asked, "Why are you here?"

"For the same reason you are," she answered.

"Angel walked up close to the woman, trying to menace her. "Stay away from Buffy."

"Why should I? I'm trying to help her."

"How?" he growled.

Shana smiled mysteriously. "All in good time, Angel, all in good time." She turned and walked down the street.

Angel didn't even attempt to follow her, knowing she would elude him, no matter what.

Shana was determined to change things. Not completely, but to a certain extent. After she had changed things, she would go leave this reality and go to another, helping people put whose lives were screwed up by the pure evilness that was the creators. If she ever got her hands on Joss Whedon or James Cameron, she'd give them acid baths for the pain they inflicted on their characters. 'The clause, the retro virus, Gossamer, the Mayor, Mrs. Summers,' Shana mentally counted off the ways her favorite people's lives were obscured and destroyed. After leaving the Buffy Universe, she was going to go into the world of 'Dark Angel' and straighten things out as much as possible. Maybe even stop even stop a few things. If not, she'd help remove the obstacles. 'Writers are evil,' she mused. She wondered if changing things prevented Dawn from showing up in later times. She hoped not. She liked Dawn, always had.

She cut across a cemetery and continued contemplating. She'd never go into Spooky's World, that is, the X-Files Universe. 'Things are screwed up enough in that world without any help from me,' she mused. She didn't see a way she could help Buffy. 'And Max,' she added inwardly. That would come later, like after Angel takes over Wolfram and Hart.

Shana stopped. She hadn't completely thought out her plan. She knew Angel leaves and gets his own show, but how would her changing things affected that. She hadn't a clue. She'd been thinking in terms of the end of Season 2 on Buffy, maybe a little after 'Anne' in Season 3, but no further.

She smacked her forehead. "Why couldn't I just left well enough alone?" she reprimanded herself aloud.

She had two choices: she could undo what she did or she could let her changes play out. Except there were things that she would let happen. 'Like Buffy's 1st death.'

* * *

 

Shana was already at the library when the Scoobies stopped by in the morning. Before they could even say anything, she pointed towards Giles' office. Buffy nodded her thanks and they headed in. Buffy closed the door after they were all in and asked, "How long has she been here?"

Giles looked up from the text he was immersed in and responded.

"I wouldn't know. She was here before I arrived. There is something I must ask you Buffy. Has, um, Shana ever alluded to being more than meets the eye strength-wise?"  
Buffy thought for a minute. "There might have been one time. Why do you ask?"

Giles removed his glasses and pulled out a handkerchief to clean it. It was one of his ticks. He didn't when he wasn't sure how to go about saying something. "She left my apartment last night, armed for bear, but confident that she could take on anything that saw fit to attack her. Can you elaborate so I don't have to worry about her when she leaves my sight?"

"Well, this one time when I was like, 10, and some guy tried to grab her butt and in the blink of an eye, literally she had his armed pinned behind his back and she threw him across the room. We were at the mall that day. She leaned down and whispered to me, 'You'll be able to do that one day.' I didn't think about it much. She said she knew lots of different forms of martial arts. She tried to teach me, but I was stubborn, I only wanted to cheer. So she just helped me practice cheerleading. She tried to teach me a lot but she never pushed, and I kept refusing it. I think she was trying to train me to be a Slayer," Buffy said, reminiscing.

Giles replaced his glasses and put away his handkerchief. "What I'd like to know most is how she knew that you would be the Slayer."

Giles led a Scooby procession out of his office to confront Shana about her withholding information. But Shana had vanished. The only thing that was left of her presence was a piece of paper. Giles picked it up and read what it said out loud.

"'Not yet.'"

 


	11. Usual Suspects

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angel gets a not so welcome blast from the past...
> 
>  
> 
> I am trying to do more updates and keep up with writing these stories, hopefully at this point I'm a better writer than I was when I started.

Chapter 11: Usual Suspects

 

The Scoobies crowded near Buffy as she told them a shocking piece of news: Angel was a vampire.

"Angel's a vampire. You're a Slayer. I think it's obvious what you have to do," Xander simplified.

For that comment, he received a smack upside the head from Shana and a snort from out of nowhere. "Xander, I don't know if this has ever been pointed out to you, but you're an idiot."

A chuckle seemed to come from behind her. Shana stomped the ground behind her and a muffled curse was heard.

Shana rolled her eyes. "All I gotta say is it's about time you found out. I was wondering how much longer I'd have to try and avoid Angel. 'Try' being the featured word, especially if the person you're trying to avoid is following you. But I guess it's payback."

"Wait a minute, you knew that Angel-" Xander started to protest but Shana cut him off.

"Can we finish this conversation in the library, away from prying eyes and innocent ears. I'll even provide an expert on Angel. So can we just go?"

The Scoobies ambled inside, pushing through the crowds and making their way to the library. Some people were tripped or bombarded by an unseen force.

Shana held the door for everyone to go in and hung back a little.

As soon as he entered, Xander repeated his protest, "You knew that Angel was a vampire, and you didn't think to let the rest of the class in on this detail?"

"He isn't a danger to Buffy or any of you. He's here to help Buffy."

"And you would know why?" Giles asked.

"I've got 2 words for you.  _Balance demon._  He goes by the name of Whistler, though the only Whistler I could think of is human with a busted knee who helps hunt vampires. But that's just me.

Anyways, the demon is dressed like a bookie stuck between  _The Partridge Family_  and  _Family Ties._  He approaches Angel, tells him that he can go against the grain and help the about to be called Slayer a.k.a. Buffy and he agrees."

"So he's a good vampire. I mean on a scale of one to ten, ten being someone who's killing and maiming every night and one being someone who's …not," Willow said.

"You said you had an expert on Angel. Where are they?" Xander said smugly, crossing his arms.

"You can show yourself now," Shana called turning towards the left set of stairs leading to the books.

As if unveiled, Angel appeared at the top of the steps.

The Scoobies jumped up from the table.

"What better expert on Angel than the man himself?" Shana stated, crossing her arms and smiling.

"How did you get in here, unharmed?" Giles sputtered.

"'Enter all who seek knowledge.' It gives vamps an open invite. Not to mention the spell I did that makes Angel invulnerable to the sun. Besides, he could explain the Jekyll/Hyde deal better than me. I mean he did live through it or unlived, whatever. Just give 'em the scoop. I'll be browsing the stacks."

"Could you hold on a sec?" Buffy asked Angel, then followed Shana into the stacks.

"Um, how long-" Buffy began to ask nervously, but Shana cut her off.

"He didn't hear what you said about him, if that's what you're worried about," Shana calmly said.

"But you did?"

"Once upon a time, yes. Right then and there, no."

"What do you-"

"Sorry gotta go!" And Shana disappeared into the stacks.

When Buffy emerged from the books, she stated, "I'm getting tired of that woman's cloak and dagger act." Then she puzzled. "What is cloak and dagger, anyway? Does it involve an actual cloak and dagger?" She came down the stairs, and sat at the table. "Cuz I could so get into that. I mean, I am the Slayer. Except I don't want to wear any cloak thingies. It would clash with what I'm wearing. I could use the dagger. Giles, do we have any daggers in the weapons closet," she asked finally looking up.

They all looked at her strangely. "Sorry, just wondering." Buffy slouched in her chair, trying to hide from the embarrassment.

Angel had a little half-smile on his face. "Can I start now?" he asked.

Buffy nodded meekly, embarrassment still coloring her cheeks.

"It happened in 1898…"

* * *

 

When Angel returned to his apartment, there was a piece of paper taped to his door. He took it off and read 'Watch out for Darla.'

This set Angel on alert. For one thing, no one knew where he lived. Second, just the name 'Darla' had him on edge. He put the paper in his pocket, unlocked his door and opened it cautiously. He closed it and stopped.

"Who's there?" he called.

A figure stepped out of the shadows.

"Darla."

 


	12. Show Stopper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Little revelations and eavesdropping, oh my!
> 
> I'm trying to alternate with updating stories, so I apologize for the gaps in between.

**Chapter 12: Show Stopper**

 

Xander jogged to catch up to Buffy and Willow as they ambled along, on their way to the auditorium. "Has anyone seen Shana lately?" he asked hopefully.

Shana had recently taken a potion that regressed her body back to when she was 16, enabling her to attend school without suspicion by the higher ups of the establishment.

"Yeah, she said that there was someone she needed to see about guidance in L.A. Then she muttered, 'If he's even there yet.' It was weird. But she said she'd be back soon. Come on," Buffy said, " we have to go see Giles somehow he got roped into directing the talent show."

Shana arrived back in time to hear the Scoobies scoff at the idea of the talent show. "I'll have you know, I'm participating in the talent show."

"Of your own free will?" Willow asked, shocked.

"Yes, I'm singing," Shana responded laughing. "Do you want me to go up now or later?" she directed at Giles, walking backwards towards the stage.

Giles started, as if awaking. "What? Oh, um, yes, now would be fine," he said carefully, afraid of what new horror would befall him.

Shana hopped up onto the stage and grabbed the mike. In A Cappella, she sang the musical version of Robert Frost's "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening." Her voice was melodious, mesmerizing all within hearing range into stopping what they were doing to listen. As she closed in on the end, she felt peace and the message of the song wash over her.

When she finished, there was silence, before a deafening roar of applause erupted in the auditorium and from behind the stage, whistles randomly piercing the air. Her performance was easily the best of the entire program. Shana saw the Scooby Gang all giving her a standing ovation, Xander whistling appreciatively. She bowed, grinning, replaced the mike on the stand and jumped down, walking back to the Scoobies. Buffy came up to her and gave her a hug. "How did you do that? Can I do that? I don't want to do that. But seriously, I'm tingling!"

"That was so cool. Wasn't that cool, Xander? You were… wow," Willow rambled.

"Yes, that was rather magnificent, to say the least," Giles sputtered in admiration.

"Thank you, but it's no big."

"No, it's a big big. If I could do something like that –" Buffy was cut off be a newcomer.

"So you're volunteering to join the talent show?" The Scoobies turned around to see who had spoke.

"Principal Snyder! Um, no. I was just saying-" He cut her off again.

"It has come to my attention the three of you left school grounds yesterday afternoon."

"Yeah, but we were fighting a demo-" Willow elbowed Buffy, cutting her off.

"Fighting?" Snyder said in a disapproving tone.

"Not fighting!" Buffy said quickly.

"No, no we left to avoid fighting," Xander interjected to try to save them.

"Real anti-social types. You need to integrate into this school, people. I think I just found three eager new participants for the talent show."

 

* * *

 

"So what's your story, toots?" Sid asked. A demon hunter trapped in a ventriloquist dummy, he had been hunting a demon at the talent show and had assumed the Slayer was said demon. So Sid and the Scoobies were corroborating to figure out the true identity of the demon. "I've been getting' weird vibes off you since I go here."

Shana answered him with, "Great, a ventriloquist dummy inhabited by the soul of a long dead demon hunter is coaching me on weird vibes."

"I meant, what are you? You're not a Slayer, that's for sure."

"What I am is none of your concern."

"Look babe-"

"Don't call me babe, Chucky," she replied curtly.

"No need to get your panties in a wad. Unless you want to, cuz then-"

"You finish that thought and I  **will**  break you into kindling with my bare hands. I could do it, too. So don't push me."

"Fine, but do they know who or what you are?"

"They don't," Shana sighed.

"You're not a demon, vamps are out, there's only one Slayer, so what are you?"

"I'm a woman forced to become a tool of those with power over me."

"You look young, too young to be a woman."

"Great thing about magick, you can do almost anything."

"When are you going to stop hiding from them?"

"In my own time or if I'm forced to reveal myself."

"Are you human?"

"Mostly."

Shana refused to answer anymore of Sid's answers.

Buffy stood outside the door, taking in the conversation.

 


	13. Chapter 13: Run, Run, Run, as Fast as You Can

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nightmares are made flesh, and more questions are raised about Shana's past...

Chapter 13: Run, Run, Run, as Fast as You Can

 

The nightmares of a comatose boy were causing the nightmares of Sunnydale residents to come to be, thanks to the Hellmouth. Though the Scoobies hadn't come to that conclusion yet.

Shana caught up to Buffy as she was on her way to the library.

"So, how is it going?" Shana asked.

Buffy filled her in on what they knew so far.

When they got to the library they found Giles with newspapers galore covering the table.

"So, did you find anything?" Buffy asked Giles.

"I don't know."

"You don't know if you didn't find anything?"

Giles answer was cut off by the appearance of a group cloaked in black, armed with assault rifles, and moving a militant fashion.

Shana froze when she saw them, shaking her head as if denying the sight would make them disappear. She backed up against the table, willing it and herself to vanish but to know avail. The group of 6 spotted her and trained their rifles on her, Buffy, and Giles.

"I'll die before I go back!" she screamed at them.

"You know these guys?" Buffy whispered out of the corner of her mouth.

"Unfortunately, but I can't figure out how they got here."

One of the soldiers grabbed Shana, holding her hands behind her back. She threw her head back, smashing him in the nose, forcing him to let go. She turned and ripped the ski mask off his head and was horrified at the face it revealed.

"Hello, lover."

 

* * *

 

"It can't be. They couldn't have gotten you again."

"They didn't get me. I volunteered."

"I'm sorry." Shana decked him, knocking him unconscious.

While she had been busy, Buffy had taken out 3 of the assailants. Giles managed to knock out one with a lamp from his office. The remaining one was sneaking up on Shana. Buffy called, "Shana, look out!"

Shana turned and delivered a spinning back kick into his stomach, causing him to fly through the air back against the double doors. Buffy and Giles looked awestruck at Shana, who said, "Come on, we need to get out of here, now."

"Not until you tell me who those guys were and how the hell you just did that."

"I'll explain later, so can we just-"

"NO." The Slayer's voice was deadly in its determination.

Shana sighed. "They were one of my worst nightmares made flesh."

"So what, you develop super-strength in order to fight 'em off ?"

"No, but the super-strength has to do with it."

"What's with the cryptic? Why won't you give me a straight answer?"

"'Cause now ain't the time for this conversation. We need to find Xander and Willow and solve this, quick."

"You're explaining yourself later."

"I promise. Let's just get through this done, please?"

"Fine."

 

* * *

 

The Scoobies, plus Shana ended up running into Angel, and Angel, Giles, and Shana found they shared a common nightmare: failing Buffy and her dying. Shana ran off alone and encountered another night mare: Angelus. She fought and defeated him, but didn't kill him, but stashed him in a crypt unconscious until Buffy and the gang solved the nightmare problem.

 


	14. ,,,And nothing but the truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Confession time for Shana...
> 
> Let's hope it goes well.
> 
> Shana's story might be familiar. There's a reason. Bear with me.

Chapter 14: …And nothing but the truth

 

"The Master shall rise and the Slayer shall die."  _Yup, that's pretty much the gist of it, but it didn't say anything about the Slayer staying dead._  This thought was running through Shana's mind as she waited for sundown so Angel could come. Buffy had managed to corner Shana after the Spring Fling, though Shana had been successful in avoiding the subject of who, what and how since the nightmare world had run rampant.

Currently they were at the school library. Ms. Calendar had been inducted into the Scooby Gang for her help with the last apocalypse. Shana had insisted that Angel be there, so she wouldn't have to repeat herself too many times. Buffy had wanted the full story before she went away to stay with her father in L.A. for the summer. Shana had said to be ready for an all-niter, so the teens had done a round robin saying they were studying for finals, which started the next day.

"You'd think the undead would have a sense of punctuality," Xander commented, taking an elbow in the ribs from Willow, who looked pointedly towards Buffy, who was currently staring off into space.

Shana rolled her eyes, readjusting her bra, still feeling uncomfortable being back in her 16 year-old body, most likely because she remembered where she was the last time she was 16. "Angel's just trying to get payback anyway he can, isn't that right?" She said, not bothering to turn around, knowing he had come in through the stacks.

Xander jumped out of his chair at the vampire's sudden appearance, Willow squeaked, and Buffy was jarred back into reality. Giles, who had been behind the counter, snapped his head up so quickly, it cracked audibly. Ms. Calendar started, stumping her head into the banister behind her. They all looked at Shana with surprise, except for Angel, who was used to not being able to sneak up on the girl.

"Ok, now that Brood Boy's here," Shana quipped, receiving a glare from Angel, who she gave back a sweetly innocent smile, "we can start.

Who am I? That's a good question. The answer is: I don't know?"

"What do you mean, you don't know?" Giles asked snippily.

"The less interruption, the quicker we can all go home. Try to save your questions for the end." The group nodded. "Like I was saying, I don't know who I am. My name was drilled out of my head long ago. My memories of people and places remains intact, but names elude me.

For as long as I can remember, I lived between two houses. My parents were never together in one house. If they were, I don't remember. I had friends in both places, which was easy, because I lived right around the corner from my dad. My siblings were separated by time, space and genetics."

Giles looked as if he wanted to interrupt but Shana cut him off. "None of my siblings are my full siblings, and there are at least seven years between all of us. Plus there's the fact we all lived in different states." Shana sighed. "I'm gonna speed through the rest of it. I watched my home burn down, moved 11 times in three years, my father got custody of me, and I ended up at my grandmother's for a little while. Shortly after my 13th birthday, I come home from school shortly before there's an explosion behind the house. It was my dad's RV. I found out later that somehow, my dad, grandma, and one sister were in there. The cause was deemed a gas explosion. I didn't and still don't believe it. I was put into foster care, and I spent the next 18 months getting shuttled to and from foster homes."

"Sorry to interrupt," Ms. Calendar apologized, "but why didn't you go live with your mother?"

"Because no one could find her. After she lost custody of me, she pretty much disappeared off the face of the Earth. Essentially she abandoned me. I spent years going between missing her and hating her." Shana rubbed her temples, and then continued. "Anyway, while in foster care, I'd run away 6 times. They always caught me and brought me back. 7th time I ran, someone else got to me first.

It was shortly after midnight. I had just left the latest hell that was my newest foster home when I feel a pinch in my neck. It was a tranquilizer dart. Next thing I know, there are people standing over me with a bright light above them. I'm not going to go into details, but they were part of a covert government project on a mission to create the perfect soldier. With technology rapidly developing, they needed guinea pigs. Who better than runaway teens, since our bodies are already going through radical changes, what's a few more?

My senses became enhanced, my strength grew tenfold, I could race a car and win, my memory became photographic, my need for sleep shrank, and I could jump at least 15 ft. in the air. We were trained, and brainwashed to follow orders, without question, to our deaths. We were isolated from the outside world, and taught to trust no one but each other. We'd long ago forgotten ourselves, everything we had and were, we couldn't remember our time, our life, before the Fortress, as we called it. Memories before seemed like dreams. Some didn't want to remember, so they went to Psy Ops to become 'good soldiers.'

When I was 23, I started organizing my comrades, all of them, for the take down of the Fortress, and our release. It took 2 years to finalize everything. But we finally destroyed it, releasing everyone in the facility. It was covered up and made to look like a terrorist group attacked an Airborne Ranger training base. They didn't try to recapture us, they weren't afraid of us going public, since it's a slightly insane story. No, they targeted us for extermination. But we killed enough operatives for them to get the message to leave us alone.

We had our freedom, but we were cut off from the world still. That was the price of our freedom."

Shana finished her story and hopped off the table, ready to hurry away into the night. But Giles managed to catch what it was she didn't wasn't to say.

"But how is it you know what is going to happen in the future? How do you know of Slayers and the Watcher's Council?" He asked.

Shana sighed and turned around, silently berating herself for not being quick enough.  _Of course you weren't quick enough,_  a voice sneered within her head,  _you wanted to get caught, wanted to tell them the whole truth, even the truth about them._

Shana walked back to the table and perched upon it. "Fine, I guess I have no choice but to tell you?"

She waited for everyone to cluster themselves closer to her in order to hear everything.

Shana drew in a breath and began the most amazing part of her story.

 


	15. Chapter 15: Tagalongs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shana's going on a road trip...
> 
> Next chapter will the first of the crossovers that I intended to do with this series.
> 
> I have a challenge for you: guess what the two books are. In the next chapter, I'll tell you whose right.

 

Chapter 15: Tagalongs

 

The chest top echoed as it hit the floor and Shana started burrowing into it, searching. Two books of equal size floated near by, both enveloped with thick black cloth so that nothing of the books showed through. She waved a hand towards them, causing them to orbit around an invisible center point, spinning at a speed that grew steadily. A moment later, she threw her hand out towards one of the books. It flew from it's place in the air to her hand and the black cloth disappeared, revealing the cover underneath.

"Dammit!"

There was no response from the space above, for the Watcher had long ago grown accustomed to the random and not so random expletives.

There was, however, a tentative knock on the door.

Shana sent out her senses, though she knew who it was, but announced it anyway.

"Giles! Angel's here! Can I let him in?" she exclaimed.

Giles' voice floated down from the upper level. "Is there anything to indicate in the future that I might regret it?"

"No!" Shana yelled.  _Not if I have anything to do with it._  She edged her way between the couch and chest and unlocked the door, opened it, and crossed her arms, blocking the doorway.

Angel stood there, hands in pockets, looking nervous, but hiding it under a nonchalant face. "Can I come in?"

"Depends."

"On what?"

"On whether or not you'll dance."

Angel blankly looked at her.

Shana rolled her eyes. "Come on in," she sighed. "Did living off rats suck out your sense of humor?"

"I have a sense of humor," Angel retorted as he squeezed by her, passing through the invisible barrier that had been opened to him.

Shana closed the door behind her. "What are you doing here?"

Angel took an envelope out of his jacket, his name written in a messy scrawl. "I'm coming with you."

"You don't know where I'm going.  ** _I_**  don't know where I'm going! So how can you come with me?" She grabbed the two covered books, held them up, and floated them, making them spin around each other. "Pick one."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Just do it."  _That's the last time I watch 'Nike' commercials._

Only a blur was seen when his arm shot out, grabbing one of the books, its covering disappearing at the contact. He showed her the title and raised an eyebroe at the growl that came from the petite female.

"Now I know where we're going."

"We? I thought you said I wasn't going?"

"Yeah, well, knowing you, you'll skulk around L.A. following Buffy, or hang around the Hellmouth brooding. I figure this way you can keep me out of trouble."

"I don't think it'll make much of a difference."

"Funny."

"Told you I had a sense of humor." He handed her the book and she threw it into the chest followed by its floating companion. "My car's outside. I'll drive if you give me directions."

She looked at him wide-eyed. "Since when do you have a car?"  _Damn you're early!_  "Besides we can't get there by car."

"Then how?"

"Haven't you been paying attention?"

 

* * *

 

 

**_2 nights ago..._ **

 

Shana began abruptly.

"I'm from the future."

She was met with shocked stares and dropped jaws, except for Angel, who gave a blank face but his eyes showed his surprise. Giles was the first to recover, followed by Ms. Calendar. Xander said something unintelligible.

"That was rather unexpected, I know, but it happens to be true."

"So you met us in the future and decided to change the past," Giles deduced.

"Not exactly."

"Then what, exactly?"

"I didn't know you, but I did know of you. The head honchos at the Fortress had assigned me to the computer labs, which wasn't the best idea in the world. I had become quite the little hacker. Don't worry, Wills, I'm not here to steal your thunder. I'm purely Book-girl. But I'm getting off track. I used my skills to tap into the outside world; television, movies, sports, books, anything that didn't revolve around the military."

"And you saw us on TV? On the news?" Ms. Calendar interjected.

"Yes to the first, no to the second."

A dawning look began to form on Willow's face but before she could say anything, Buffy asked, "You saw us on TV, but not on the news. How's that possible?"

"It's possible because I'm not from this dimension originally. I saw you on television, because where I come from, you guys are a TV show."

 

* * *

 

 

**_Present_ **

 

"So where exactly are we going?" Angel asked.

"Frisco. Don't worry, Angel, you'll be right at home."

"How can you be sure?"

"I don't go to a new dimension without thoroughly studying the background and history behind the world the world I'm about to enter."

 


End file.
